Biodiversity plays an important role in the life of staff and students of
the University of Essex.
The Wivenhoe campus is set in a former deer park on the banks of the
Colne River to the south east of Colchester. It was painted in 1816 by John
Constable. The grounds of the campus retain relict acidic grassland, a
scarce habitat type. Together with taller grassland, scrub and lakes, these
form a complex mosaic of habitats with an extremely rich invertebrate fauna.
The campus also contains rare coastal grazing marsh and many notable
specimen trees, including oaks, redwoods and black poplars. There are 18
major habitats on the Wivenhoe campus.
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Habitat name
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Location
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Description
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Key plants and insects
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Management issues
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1
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Poplar Row
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Along Boundary Road
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Row of poplars along road Banks of grassland up to west facing buildings
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Black poplars and Carolina poplars
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Leave some of grass on banks uncut
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2
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Nightingale Wood
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SW corner of campus
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Mixed woodland
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Oaks, nightingales in spring
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Maintain Bird and bat boxes
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3
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Skipper's Meadows
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SW corner of campus
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Open grassland next to Nightingale wood
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Acid grassland species
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Conservation management to clear some brambles and scrub
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4
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Grazing Marsh
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Between railway line and Boundary Road
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High quality freshwater grazing marsh (designated habitat)
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Relict grazing-marsh retaining many typical spp, eg Grass Vetchling,
Dittander, Hairy Buttercup and Divided Sedge; larger drains support
Common Reed
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5
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Green Lane
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Lane by side of campus to railway line
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Sunken lane
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Mix of woodland species
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6
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South Courts Grassland
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Inside Boundary Road bend
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Lawns, grassland, scrub and mature trees
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Subterranean clover, rare black poplar trees
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Leave strip of grass by current shrubs
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7
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Cherry Row
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Inside Boundary Road to bus stop
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Row of trees and rough grassland
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Cherry trees and elms
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8
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Kidney Wood
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West of sports centre towards towers
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Mature woodland trees
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Oaks and sweet chestnuts; three pencil oaks
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Leave central triangle unmown
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9
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Hance Meadows
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NW of car park and NE of IC lecture hall
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Acid grassland with birch trees
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Oak, silver birch, subterranean clover (rare), sheep's sorrel, mosses &
lichens
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Leave as is
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10
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Oak Parkland and the two lower lakes
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North of path to Wivenhoe House
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Parkland
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400 year old oaks; remains of what Constable described as "a beautiful
wood and piece of water"; some American oaks (Q borealis)
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Leave as is
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11
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Ha-Ha and House Pleasure Gardens
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Wivenhoe House gardens to Ha-Ha
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Landscape of parkland, mature trees
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Two 200 year old cork oaks
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Leave as is
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12
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Ice-House Pleasure Gardens
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Gardens north of Wivenhoe House, containing the old ice house, includes
laurel ride along back
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Large notable specimen trees, mainly coniferous, laurel ride gardens to
ice house
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Five large Redwoods, Weymouth or Eastern-White Pines, cedars,
Wellingtonias, tulip tree, plus other specimen trees
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Open up Ice House
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13
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Campus Farm and Pond
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East of Wivenhoe House
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Farm/allotments to the north of the old pond Old pond with some wetland
plants;
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Acid grassland Garden trees
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Water to pond and farm
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14
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Kingfisher Lake
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Top lake, between VC's house and road
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Wetland habitat
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Fallen mature mulberry tree
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15
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Bluebell Wood
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Shelter belt alongside main road from lake to middle lodge
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Woodland along Clinghoe Hill road
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Oak, ash, sweet chestnut, bluebells
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Open up some glades in woodland
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16
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Benton's Top Heath and Hay Meadows
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Triangle of heathland
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Large expanse of acid grassland
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Relict acidic grassland, a scarce habitat with an extremely rich
invertebrate fauna. Dominated by Red Fescue, Sheep's Sorrel & Field
Wood-rush, with rare Slender Parsley-piert and Blinks occurring in damp
seepage areas
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Cut carefully and late to ensure best invertebrate diversity
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17
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Rookery Wood
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West of middle lodge and the 1845 carriage way
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Holm oaks, ash, elms, hornbeam
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18
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Lower Heath and Woods
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Research park site
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Mature trees
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